and so I took you in my hands and I held on
by Kira Pheonix
Summary: Deleted scene for 3x02-The Hybrid. Damon finds out about the werewolf bite on Stefan and he isn't very happy about it.


And I'm back once again! This time with more Stefan ad Damon because they are just too irresistible.

Enjoy!

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><p>"…see if you can keep her there this time."<p>

Damon allows his brother's words to fly over his head. He should be paying attention, he knows, but he's too busy staring down at his little brother, who's not looking too good.

Stefan's still as stiff and distant as ever but Damon can see sweat pooling on his forehead, the way he seems to be favoring his left side. He's taking in deep breaths, almost panting, and every now and then he clenches his jaw, as if forcing down words…or holding back pain.

"What's wrong with you?" Damon asks suddenly.

He immediately notices the way Stefan tenses up and stands even straighter than before.

"Nothing," comes the curt reply.

Damon just raises an eyebrow disbelievingly at his brother and sweeps an assessing gaze over his form. It isn't exactly all that bright in this part of the woods but the moon shining casts a light glow around them, allowing him clear view of Stefan's tall frame.

His brother starts shifting, probably uncomfortable with Damon's staring but then he immediately stops, taking in a sudden sharp breath that seems to magnify around them. Damon's eyes snaps back to his brother's face, where it's doing the jaw clenching thing again. He narrows his eyes and takes a step forward, watching almost amused as Stefan takes a wary step back.

He was just about to give out some sort of remark about stubborn little brothers when Stefan winces and bends forward slightly, left arm curling up before straightening quickly to his side again.

And that is when he notices the wound on Stefan's arm.

Almost at once he feels as though he was sucker punched, breath leaving right out of him. His stomach lurches and he can't tear his eyes away from the angry red wound.

Because it looks familiar.

_Too_ familiar.

He hisses and speeds over to his brother, gripping his arm tightly, pulling him closer to get a better look. The wound is dark, making his brother's skin so pale in comparison. It's already spread over his arm, which means it must have been a few hours now. It looks painful, hell, Damon knows that it's painful and he pushes back the sudden anger that tries hard to burst out.

"What the hell? You got bitten?" he nearly yells, ignoring Stefan's insistent tugging to release him.

Stefan huffs out an annoyed breath, though he looks bit guilty. "I'm fine. It's nothing."

Which is absolutely the wrong thing to say.

Damon can only gape at Stefan, disbelief and anger and worry and fear fighting for dominance in him. He wants to yell at his brother, shake him hard, throw him over his shoulder and speed back to Mystic Falls,_ something_ to stop this ridiculous situation they're into. He wants to find the bastard who did this and make him pay.

Because this is _not_ supposed to happen.

But then he looks at his brother again, at his pale face and too revealing eyes, despite his efforts to be otherwise. He sees the pain in his eyes and he's reminded of when Stefan used to come to him when they were little. Every time he got hurt, Damon would be the one he'd seek out. And every single time, Damon would drop everything he was doing to run to his brother's aid.

But that was then, he thinks to himself, letting go of Stefan.

And this is now.

And not for the first time, he wonders how they got here, how they got so lost.

He takes a step back and breathes in deep, willing himself to calm down. He refrains himself from saying something back though the _it's nothing _statement really makes him want to punch someone_. _Really? Did Stefan forget the whole 'Tyler Lockwood bit me' fiasco already?

He refrains from saying anything because they're already on too shaky terms and he doesn't want to make it worse.

Stefan stares at him warily, injured arm clutched protectively, apparently not intending to pretend anymore.

"You need Klaus' blood." Damon says unnecessarily. And because he doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut, "Which probably won't be so difficult to get considering he's your BFF now."

Stefan lets out a small laugh, and the way it sounds so empty almost makes Damon wince. "Yeah, that doesn't seem to be happening soon."

"What?" The word is sharp and cuts through the air.

Stefan hesitates for a moment, before shrugging and saying offhandedly "He's rather hesitant about giving me the cure. At least until I bring him back." He nods down at the dead hybrid on the ground.

"He just left you like this?" Damon says, voice dangerously low now. The angers burns tenfold in him and fights even harder to claw out of his chest. "I'm going to kill him."

"_Don't_. He doesn't know you're here and he's not _going_ to know. I can take care of myself." Stefan ignores Damon's snort and glares at him. "You need to go. Get Elena out of here."

"I'm not just going to leave you. Not when you're like this!" Damon growls.

Stefan groans frustratedly, clutching his arm even tighter. "I'll be _fine_. He's not going to let me die. I'm too useful for him," he says bitterly. "He's just making me sweat about it. You, though he will not hesitate to kill if he finds you. So you need to get out of here. Now!"

"Stefan.."

"And we can't let him find out Elena's still alive either." Stefan says quietly, staring straight into Damon's eyes.

Damn it.

Damon clenches his fists and glares hard at his brother. He hates it when Stefan is right. He absolutely hates it.

"You better not die on me, Stef. I still haven't gotten around to kicking your ass yet." Damon warns past the lump in his throat.

Stefan offers a small smile and gives him a nod. "Go," he whispers softly.

Biting his lips _hard,_ Damon takes a step back, not taking his eyes away from his brother. Something in him screams for him to stop.

He takes another step back. The screaming grows louder.

Finally, _finally_, he manages to find it in him to turn around. And with the heaviest of heart, he walks away, the scream fading away into the shadows surrounding him.

It takes every will and strength in him not to look back.

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><p>He pauses halfway going down the steps of Elena's house when his phone vibrates in his pocket. Digging his phone out, he opens the new message he just received.<p>

_I'm okay._

Two words. That's it. That's all he got.

But the relief that spreads through him, the sudden drop in his stomach at the meaning behind those words, is like a tidal wave, completely sudden and overwhelming.

He doesn't have to check to see who the message is from. He knows his brother.

And while he realizes that Klaus wouldn't let Stefan die so easily, considering all the trouble he went through to get Stefan to follow him, that doesn't mean he didn't worry. He's just very good at hiding it.

Damon sags against the wall, closes his eyes and tilts his head up, smiling. He takes a breath and releases, mind already working furiously now coming up with plans on how to get Stefan back.

He meant every word he said to Elena. Stefan's not completely lost, the incident in the woods and text message solid proof of that. He'll get his brother back. And he's going to make that hybrid son of a bitch pay for what he made Stefan go through. Damon's not going to stop until he does.

It's not going to be easy. He's not naive to believe that it will be. But then again, he can be a stubborn bastard and he owes his brother one.

Besides, Stefan's done enough saving for the both of them.

It's time for someone to save him.

THE END

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><p>Done! Reviews? :P<p> 


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